Oil and air separator for rotary motors



Patented Jan.. 9, i923.

1,441,538 rice.

FRED M. SLATER, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, `01? JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY'.

OIL AND AIR SEPARATOR FOR ROTARY MOTORS.

Application filed January 19, 1922. Serial No. 530,482.

To all 'a1/offrit may concer/a:

Be it known that I, FRED M. SLA'rEn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Easton, county of Northanfipton, and

5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Oil and Air Separator for Rotary Motors, of which the following is a specilication accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to fluid actuated rotary motors of the cylinder type, but more particularly to a device for 'extracting the lubricating oil from the motive fluid, thus effecting a saving and permitting the oil to be usediover again, either in the motor or in a. hoist or other mcclianism to `which the motor is applied.

In a fluid actuated rotary motor of the cylinder type, pressure is created in the motor casing, due to leakage, and with the splash system of lubrication, oil is carried outwardly to the periphery of the casing by centrifugal action and may be wasted by passing to the atmosphere with the leakage air, through an atmospheric vent, usually provided in the casing.

The object of the present invention is to f extract substantially all the oil from the escaping air and return the oil to the motor, and if desired use that small portion of the oil escaping with the air for lubricating a hoist or other mechanism operated by the motor.

The invention is shown in one of its preferred forms in the accompanying drawing, which is an elevation partly in longitudr nal section of so much of a motor shown in connection with a hoisting mechanism, as will serve to illustrate the invent-ion.

Referring to the drawings, the frame A of a fluid actuated rotary motor of the cylinder type is shown mounted ona clamping member B in the form of a saddle clamp adapted to grip a column or cross bar in cooperation with a similar clamping' member or cross bar saddle clamp (not shown) in the usual manner, by means of the bolts C. The motor is provided with a case D adapted to be secured to the frame A and for simplicity, only so much of the interior of the motor is indicated as will serve to illustrate the type of motor employed, that is, a rotary cylinder motor having' a plurality of cylinders E and pistons F reciproeating therein. The cylinders E are prefera- 55 bly cast in one piece forming a cylinder member which rotates about the central axis, and the driven shaft G for a hoist or other mechanism, is connected to be driven from the sleeve H, which rotates with the cylinders E. The motor, which is illustrated in part in the present `drawing may be any suitable rotary cylinder motor, like that disclosed, tor instance, in Letters Patent of the United States No. 725,129 granted April 14, 1903 to C. H. Peck for reversible motor, but as the motor, itself forms no part of lthe present invention, it will not be further illustrated or described herein, except to point out that in such a type of motor of which said Patent #725,129 is typical, yoke members J are usually provided at each side of the cylinder member, rotating on ball-bearings Klocated on the circular'bearings L which are eccentric to the axis of rotation of the cylinders.

The frame A of the motor is in this instance provided with a hollow center bearing O forming the bearing for a hoisting drum P adapted to rotate thereon and connected to be driven from the main shaft G in any suitable manner. Only so much of the gear case Q and4 gearing is shown herein as will serve to illustrate my invent-ion relating to lubrication. The flange R ofthe drumi l is provided with an internal gear S driven by any suitable gear connection from an intermediate gear T meshing with the pinion U on the main shaft G. The gear case Q is provided with a cover V through which a vent is provided in the form of a tube or thimble W, having perforations X and a shield Y at the inner end. The intermediate gear T is also provided with llwrforations` Z in itsweb and a vent a is provided in the wall b of the gear case and opens into the interior of the `center bearing O. i f

The rotating parts of the cylinder motor are oiled by splash lubrication from oil c supplied to the motor casing and collecting in the bottom thereof, regardless of the position in which the .motor is placed, whether upside-down or at an angle. The oil is carried outwardly to the periphery of the casing by centrifugal action and the air pres sure created in the motor casing by the leakage of air may escape through the opening Z in the frame A leading to the center bearing O. The air, and oil carried thereby, tends to pass from the motor casing through the apertures e in the web f within the motor casing7 and from thence through the center bearing out through the venta to the gear casing Q and thence to atmosphere through the apertures X andl vent tube W.`

In order to separate `or extract substantially all of the oil from the air,` I provide stationary continuous radially extending plates in the motor casing, in the space between the web f and theperiphery of the casing, interposed in the path of the iiovvof air, ahead ofthe ventto atmosphere, that is, ahead of the central opening Z in the frame of the motor communicating with the center bearing O. These extracting plates permit the air to esca-pe, while substantially allof the oilextracted from the air and deposited on the plates, flows back to the bottom ofthe casing. Some of the oil carried over by the air is deposited in the center bearing O and enters through the holes g in said center bearing for lubricating the drum P.` .Some of the oil also passes through the vent a in the wall of the gear casing and serves to add lubricating material to the gears in the gear casing.

I preferably form one of the extracting plates L of perforated metal, and conveniently carry this perforated plate z, which maybe termed `the mainwextracting plate across the opening from the web f to the outside wall of the frame of the motor cas-y ing. One or more narrower solid plates j and 7c are provided preferably at each side of the perforated main plate zf so that a tortuous vpath is provided for the low of air and the oil impinges on the main perforated platev /L and is extracted from' the air. The plates 71, j, and 7a may be mounted in any suitable 4manner on the frame A in this instance, by means of a sc-rew 0 and separators p. The auxiliary plate '7' serves to prevent splashing of oil against the main perforated screen plate 7L and alsoprevents the oil from being driven directly against the plate 7L. The oil is deposited by the air on both sides of the main plate it and runs down both sides. The other auxiliary plate 1c prevents the oil which runs down the main plate 71, from passing to the discharge opengardless of the position of the motor, is caused to run around on the plate L and pass olf the bottom into the motor casing.

The motor is provided with an inlet (not shown) controlled by a throttleY having an `operating handle q andan exhaust r is prober and operative parts oiled by splash lubrication from oi'l supplied to the bottom of the casing, a perforated main extracting plate located inside the casing and extending radially across the space in the casing ahead of the vent, and at least one solid auxiliary A,

plate adjacent thereto, whereby the air is permitted to escape while substantially all the oil extracted from the air and deposited on the main plate flows back to the bottom of the casing.

2. In a rotary fluid actuated cylinder mo- L tor7 the combination of a closed casing vented to atmosphere substantially at the axis of rotation, a rotating cylinder member and operative parts oiled by splash lubrication from oil supplied tothe bottom of the casing` a perforated main'extracting plate located inside the casing and extending radially across the space in the casing ahead of the vent7 a shorter solid auxiliary plate 1 on one side to prevent oil being carried di rectly against said main plate, and another shorter solid auxiliary plate on the opposite side of the main plate to prevent oil passing to the discharge vent of the motor casing7 whereby the air is permitted to escape while substantially all the oil extracted from the air and deposited on the main plate flows back to the bottom of the casing.

In testimony'whereof I` have signed this specification s FRED M. SLATER. 

